The Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability (MHES) confirms that passengers from Friday'’s BA253 flight bound for Grand Cayman have safely arrived at Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA).
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hilary Wolf, Chief Nursing Officer, Mrs. Felicia McLean, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mark Paramlall, and National Epidemiologist, Ms. Rachel Corbett were on hand at ORIA to brief Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control (CBC) staff ahead of the flight arrival and provide support to the Public Health team.
Arriving passengers from the original BA253 flight were asked to complete a health questionnaire and provide confirmation of their contact details, enabling public health officials to maintain appropriate monitoring and surveillance in the coming days.
A subgroup of passengers identified through contact tracing conducted by Bahamian health authorities also underwent additional screening on arrival and will be proactively monitored by the Public Health Department (PHD) over the coming days and weeks, in accordance with established public health protocols.
The Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability (MHES), Public Health Department (PHD), Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control (CBC), Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA), and healthcare personnel have worked in close partnership to ensure that all public health screening procedures were safely and efficiently carried out, while ensuring passengers and crew were treated with care and professionalism throughout the process.
Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Minister for Health, Environment and Sustainability, said: “I want to sincerely thank all the agencies and personnel who worked together to ensure the safe arrival and management of passengers aboard BA253. This includes our partners in the Bahamas and the United Kingdom, as well as the teams from the Public Health Department, Customs and Border Control, the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, healthcare personnel, first responders and airport staff here in the Cayman Islands.
“The coordinated response demonstrated the strength of our public health systems and the importance of international cooperation in managing potential public health risks. I want to reassure the public that the risk of Ebola transmission remains very low. The Cayman Islands has established public health protocols in place and we remain prepared, vigilant and equipped to respond appropriately to incidents of this nature.”
Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks is off-island, and Parliamentary Secretary Mrs Heather Bodden is acting Minister in her absence.
Chief Officer in the Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability, Mrs Tamara Ebanks, added: “I wish to thank all local and international partners involved in this response for their professionalism, collaboration and swift action. The Public Health Department, alongside the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Nursing Officer and healthcare partners, will continue to closely monitor the international situation and provide updates to the public as necessary.”
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a serious viral illness spread through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of a person who is showing symptoms of the disease. Ebola is not spread through the air, water or food. Individuals infected with Ebola cannot transmit the virus until symptoms develop.
Symptoms may appear between two and 21 days after exposure and can include:
· Fever
· Severe headache
· Muscle pain and weakness
· Fatigue
· Vomiting and diarrhoea
· Abdominal pain
· Unexplained internal or external bleeding or bruising
Members of the public are encouraged to practise good hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with bodily fluids of individuals who are unwell, and seek medical advice if they develop symptoms following recent travel to affected areas or contact with a suspected case.
For more information on Ebola Virus Disease, to speak with a Public Health official, or to report symptoms, contact the Public Health Department on (345) 244-2849.